INDEPENDENCE -- WinCo Foods announced last week that it was recalling all fresh ground beef products at its stores -- including WareMart in Independence, because of an E. coli bacteria contamination.

INDEPENDENCE -- WinCo Foods announced last week that it was recalling all fresh ground beef products at its stores -- including WareMart in Independence, because of an E. coli bacteria contamination.

The effected product is all fresh ground beef packed in plastic foam trays with a sale date of March 28 through April 9.

The food should either be returned to the store for refund or be destroyed, WinCo said in an April 17 press release. No illnesses have been confirmed to date in connection with this recall.

The original notice was issued on April 10 for ground beef sold at the company's Modesto, Calif., store only. An independent lab identified the E. coli bacteria in samples of ground.

Now, nearly 70 WinCo stores in five states are included in the recall. Anyone who has eaten fresh ground beef purchased from the store during the mentioned period, and who has experienced abdominal cramping and diarrheal illness should contact their doctor immediately, WinCo officials said.